The Beast Within
by booksonclouds
Summary: On the outskirts of the kingdom lie the dark, deep woods. Something lurks within the twisted trees, something very dangerous. Too bad they don't want Kagamine Rin to know. How very pitiful. Rin/Len Noncest ON HIATUS.
1. The Bell

**A/N: Hello! This is my first attempt at a Vocaloid story, so sorry if it's not that great. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Rin/Len Nocest **

**Similarities to the Beauty and the Beast.**

**Disclamer: I don't own Vocaloid or any of the characters. -sobs-**

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><p>(.\)

"_And that's why you must never go into the woods, Rin-chan," my mother whispered. Her gentle wrinkled mouth smiled at me in the candlelit room. She placed a kiss on my forehead and pulled the covers up over my chin. Smiling one more time, she left the room with her white robes flowing behind._

_As the door shut tight, I squeezed my eyes closed. The scary tale that my mother had told me filled my mind with images of monsters. It was really my fault; I had asked her why I was never allowed past the West Gate._

_Shivering, I glanced out the window and looked to my view of the looming gate in the distance. It was as if beckoning me to come near, to see if it was really that horrible._

_Sitting up quickly, I squinted out of the window. I shook my head, trying to clear my vision, but there was simply nothing there. I thought I had seen a dark figure peering through the metal bars of the gate._

(/.\)

"Rin-sama? Are you listening?"

I looked up from my window and saw my personal teacher waving her hand in front of my face. I must have had a dumb expression, because Miss Sasaki laughed quietly.

"Oh, yes, Sensei!" I realized I got pulled into one of my dramatic flashbacks again. "Sorry for spacing off; it won't happen again!" I got up out of my chair to bow once.

"That's alright," Miss Sasaki sighed. "Just pay more attention, okay?"

I nodded gratefully and sat back down. Sure I was royalty to the kingdom, but that was no way to treat Miss Sasaki, a sensei who had the highest teaching rate around.

"Alright, so where were we?" she asked kindly. Not only was she a great teacher, she had the nicest soul.

After lessons, I strolled around the castle in search of something interesting to do. It was pouring outside, so taking a walk out in the vegetable gardens was a definite no. I tried searching for a mystery around the place, even sinking as low as to ask maids or chefs if they had anything mysterious done to them lately. But everyone always smiled apologetically and said, "Sorry, Rin-sama. We'll tell you if we do!" Or, "It's our best job to keep you safe, Your Highness! A mystery would put you in danger." Then they'd pat my arm gently and go on with whatever they had to do.

It was always "_Your highness_"and "_You need to be safe!_". I mean, how safe could a princess of a gated kingdom get?

I sighed and kicked a dust bunny that escaped one of the maid's sweeps. That's when the bell sounded.

_Ding. Dong. Ding. Dong._

There was a whole lot of commotion as people ran to and fro. A couple screams sounded as people bustled about. Some guards grabbed me a little too harshly and took me to my room.

"It's best if you stay here, Your Highness," said a guard, huffing as he set me on to my bed. "We'll contact you when you can come back out."

"But wha-" I barely had time to utter anything before they locked the door. I could hear the clinking of their armor as they ran down the hallway.

What was going on? Did something happen? Thoughts swirled in and out of my head as I tried to figure out what was happening. I had never heard the strange bell until now.

I peered out of my window into the gloomy rain and saw several guards and knights swarming around something. They looked like they were hauling something into the castle.

I gasped and ran to the bedroom door, attempting to open it. I yanked several times on the doorknob, but it wouldn't budge.

"Let me out!" I demanded. "I am Kagamine Rin; I deserve a right!" I pounded on the door until my fist hurt from doing so. Sinking with my back against the door, I slowly sat down. Gazing out of the window and into the rain, I looked upon the West Gate. It was strangely opened, with many men in shining armor crowding around it.

This was a mystery all right, and I was bound to find out the answers, whether they would tell me or not.

(/.\)

I woke to a heavy pounding. My heart jolted as I realized I was still sitting against the door, and someone was knocking.

"Your Highness, it is okay to come out now," said one of the guards.

I scrambled up and opened the door swiftly. "What happened?"

"A lightning bolt caused a fire in the woods," he said. "Burned many trees down."

I stood there looking stunned. He was most certainly lying, but why?

"Oh, was that all it was?" I asked, tilting my head innocently. "I was so worried!" Laughing to assure the guard that I suspected nothing, I decided I would play their game. If they wouldn't play fair, I would hunt for my information.

The guard bowed and smiled a little uncertainly, but he didn't tell me anything else. I lingered at my door for a little bit before trudging through the hallways. It was the evening after the rainy afternoon of the bell, and everyone was acting as if everything was okay. They grinned and waved at me normally and asked me if I needed anything, and I would answer back casually. Even the setting seemed to be wrong, for the sun had peeped out and the rain had stopped.

I was too busy fiddling with this weird situation, I accidently bumped into one of the maids.

"Oh, my mistake, Your Highness!" said the high-pitched voice. I turned to see Maid Miku Hatsune awkwardly bowing.

"No, it's fine!" I put up both of my hands to signal it was alright. Maid Hatsune was always a friendly person to others around the castle.

"Ahh… Yes, okay." Maid Hatsune nervously twisted one of her green pigtails around in her fingers.

I hated to be mean to my kind friend on something like this, but I had to know what happened.

"Hey, Miku-chan," I said, noticeably adding the "chan" honorific.

Maid Hatsune blushed with surprise. "Yes, Rin-sama, Your Highness?"

"Could you do me a favor?"

"Anything!"

"Please tell me why the bell rang and what really happened!"

Maid Hatsune turned red and started to stutter. "O-Oh. It was the forest fire, right?" She started to back away slowly. She knew something that I didn't.

"Don't worry," I inched closer to Maid Hatsune. "You can tell me anything."

The green haired girl squealed and bowed quickly. "I'm sorry, Your Highness! I'm late for cleaning duties in the kitchen!" She scrambled off, clumsily tripping over her heels.

I sighed and decided not to urge her for more answers. It was pretty obvious that the people of the castle were keeping something from me, if not the whole kingdom! I wondered what was so dangerous to tell the curious princess. Was it that bad?

I angrily stomped through the hallways and went down the staircase to the infirmary. Strangely, it was guarded by a familiar friend dressed in armor.

"Rin-sama!" The blue haired knight smiled and took my hand, gently kissing the back of it.

"Thank you, Kaito-san," I thanked him. He was one of my best friends who had recently become a knight for the kingdom.

"Why are you guarding?" I asked. He had carefully placed himself in front of the infirmary door.

"Oh, some knights were injured trying to put out the fire." Kaito scratched the back of his head unsurely, as if hiding something important from me.

"Really?" I tried to reach the doorknob, but he made sure to block it with his body.

"They would really like some peace and quiet right now, Your Highness," he told me.

"You don't have to call me "Your Highness", you know," I said for the fiftieth time. "But I would just like to see if they are alright."

"I'm sorry, Your- Rin-sama," Kaito corrected. "But the nurses looked really serious when they said no visitors."

That was very weird. Since when did Kaito refuse my offer? Since when did anybody refuse it? Not to be conceited or anything, but it just didn't feel right.

I walked a little ways down the hallway and fell down. Clutching my stomach, I called for help.

"Your Highness!" Kaito left his post by the infirmary door to help me. "Are you alright?" I could see his face filled with worry as I put on a sickened face. This was my chance.

I got on to my feet and sprinted around the kneeling Kaito, who had a very funny confused look on his face.

"Hey!" he said.

Reaching the infirmary door, I jiggled with the doorknob until it finally opened. The haunting sight I saw next made me think twice about my decision.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope I got most of the honorifics right. Anyways, review to tell me what you thought about it. x)**


	2. The Lies

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews. And just in case you're wondering where's Len, he'll enter the story soon. Perhaps as a prince or a knight. You'll have to just wait and see. }:)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid or any of the characters.**

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><p>(.\)

"_What's out there past the West Gate that is so scary, Mother?" I pulled on the hem of her robe sleeve to get her attention._

_She looked up from the book she was reading and smiled down at me. She picked me up and set me on her lap, setting the book on a side table. Silent for a minute, she gazed away as if deep in thought._

"_Mother?" I poked her arm._

"_It's alright, Rin-chan," she answered. "I was carried away with a memory."_

_So that's where I got my habit of flashbacks and daydreams from._

"_I hope I don't frighten you when I say this, Rin-chan." Mother pulled a strand of hair around my ear. "There's a scary monster out there."_

"_Scary monster?" I thought about the figure I believed was peering through the West Gate last night._

"_Yes, he preys on anyone that ventures out into the woods," she said softly. "That's how your father died and left the hardships of the kingdom to me."_

_My eyes were wide open now. "What is the scary monster? An animal?"_

_Mother pressed her lips together and closed her eyes. She seemed to be carried away with her thoughts again._

"_Mother?"_

_She opened her eyes and answered quietly. "The beast."_

(/.\)

I gaped at the sight my eyes allowed to give me. Was this real?

"Your Highness!" a nurse squeaked. "With all due respect, weren't you permitted to stay out of the infirmary?"

I heard Kaito sigh and put his hands on my shoulders behind me. "I'm sorry. I will take her out now."

My eyes were locked to the patient lying on the cot, as Kaito gently steered me out of the room. The dull ring of the screen near the cot signaled the person was long gone. I had barely realized I was out of the room when Kaito leaned down.

"You weren't supposed to go in there," he scolded.

"What happened to that girl?" I remembered the pale naked girl with bloody scratches all over her body. Her red twin curls hung limply over her lifeless face. But that wasn't even close to the worst. She had the words "I'm coming to get her" clawed into her stomach, and "7 days" embedded into her forehead.

Kaito was speechless.

"Well?" I pressed.

"She was burned by the fire pretty bad."

I frowned. "So I suppose the fire burned those words into her too, huh?"

Kaito put his hands on my shoulders once more. "It would be safer if you didn't know, Rin-sama." He gave me a look of pity.

"But I would like to know! Kaito, the whole castle has been keeping secrets from me today!"

He cringed. "It's for your best. Trust me, I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

"Was it the beast?" My voice echoed dryly through the hall. When I received no answer, I suspected it was true. "That's right, isn't it?" Kaito said nothing. "Then tell me, what does he want from our kingdom?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Rin-sama," Kaito told me blankly. "You must have been hallucinating."

"Huh?"

"I'll take you up to your room straight away!" He took my hand in his, and he pulled me to my room upstairs.

"What do you mean? I wasn't hallucinating!"

"You've had a long day." Kaito patted my head. "Get some rest." He opened my bedroom door for me and signaled for me to go in.

I obeyed and turned back to him. "But Kai-" The door gently shut in my face.

Confused but exhausted, I climbed into bed with my clothes still on. I was frustrated with Kaito not answering to his fullest, but I decided I would hunt for answers tomorrow. But not before stealing a glance at the West Gate out of my window. A dark smudge loomed by the strong metal bars, but I was sure it was just my sleepy imagination.

(/.\)

I woke up, and my first instinct was that I had a terrible dream. But when I glanced down at my clothes that were still on, I knew it couldn't have been. Running to my window, I took a good look at the West Gate. The dark smudge before was gone.

Sighing with relief, I pulled on some new clothes. Making sure I looked presentable enough, I strolled out of my room. To my surprise, my mother was waiting for me.

"Ahh, you're awake." My mother smiled. "How about we go get some breakfast?"

I nodded and followed my mother down to the dining room. We sat down to a banquet of all the breakfast foods you could wish for.

"So, Mother, are the knights that put out the fire alright?" I decided to start with simple questions, but then I would press her for real answers after we started talking.

"Fire?" A wave of confusion spread over her face. "What fire?"

"The fire in the woods," I said cautiously. "Remember? The bell that sounded yesterday?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Rin-chan," Mother answered. "Did you have a dream last night possibly?"

I blinked. "What about that girl in the infirmary? The one that was all bloody and had those words on her!"

Mother laughed. "Rin-chan, you must have had a very interesting dream!"

I had no idea what to say. It couldn't have been a dream, could it have?

"The infirmary!" I said, getting out of my chair. "Excuse me, Mother." I turned and ran from the dining room.

The infirmary. The girl must still be there!

I dodged maids and guards walking about. Reaching the infirmary, I was surprised there was no longer a guard there. I flung the door wide open and laid my eyes on the familiar cot.

"Your Highness?" asked the same nurse from yesterday. "Everything alright?"

I gazed at the empty cot. "Where's the girl?"

"What girl?" the nurse asked politely.

"The one with the red curls!" How could you forget?

The nurse looked at me like I was crazy.

"Rin-chan," someone said behind me. I turned to see it was my mother. "You run really fast. Why did you come here in the middle of breakfast?"

"I-" I scratched my head and looked back to the empty cot.

The nurse got up and felt my forehead. "Are you alright, Your Highness?"

I stepped back. "Yeah, I think so."

The nurse eyed me carefully and nodded. "You come back if you feel dizzy."

I thanked the nurse and closed the infirmary door. Turning to my awaiting mother, I had the sensation that it really _had _been a dream.

Mother gave me a worried look. "Are you sure you are okay?"

"I'm fine." I looked away. "I think I'll just go to my room for a little bit, if that's alright."

"Sure," she approved. "Take as much time as you need."

I went upstairs to my bedroom to lie down. It had just been a horrible dream, that's all. There was no ringing bell, no red haired girl with words on her stomach, no dark figure that loomed outside the West Gate.

I got up restlessly and stuffed some clothes in a bag. I carried the bag as I walked out of the room and to the kitchen. Grabbing an empty bottle, I filled it with water.

"Rin-chan?" I recognized my mother's voice again. "What are you doing? I thought you were going to rest."

"I'm going for a stroll through town, Mother," I said. "I believe it will clear my head."

"You are?" she asked. "Then I'll get a guard to go with you."

"Why?" I asked curiously. "I've never had one go with me before. I can take care of myself."

She hesitated uncertainly. "You're right, you can go by yourself. Just be careful." Placing a kiss on my forehead, she escorted me outside. The sun shined, and not a cloud reminded me of the rainy scene I had thought was real yesterday.

"Goodbye." I waved and walked down the pathway eagerly. My mother had the same worried look on her face as I left. Why was she so worried if she told me my claims were only a dream?

I was going to find out if yesterday really happened. I was going to search out the real truth and find out if they were all really _lying_.

I was going to venture past the West Gate into the woods.

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><p><strong>AN: Cookies to anyone who can guess who the girl with twin red curls was. I don't think it's too terribly hard. xD**


	3. The Woods

**A/N: Muhahaha! How will Rin get into the woods and past the West Gate?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid or any of the characters.**

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><p>(.\)

"_What do you think is out there, Kaito-san?" I asked him. The sun beat down on our necks as we ran through the gardens. Plants tickled our ankles as we passed by, and the aroma of blooming flowers wafted around. We reached a bench surrounded by potted daffodils and sat down in our beloved spot._

"_Out there?" Kaito turned his attention to me. "What do you mean?" I watched as a trickle of sweat rolled down the side of his face._

"_Mother always says to stay out of the woods because there's something scary out there," I told him. "What do you think it could really be?" After she had told me it was a "beast", she refused to answer any other questions._

"_Well, maybe it's a man-eating duck!" Kaito teased, throwing up his hands and turning them into claws._

_I pushed him off the bench and laughed. "I don't think it would be that crazy."_

_Kaito brushed himself off and sat back down on the bench. "Then I don't know what else it would be."_

_I thought about the time I looked towards the West Gate after Mother's story. Perhaps the thing I thought I'd seen was just my imagination. Maybe it all wasn't real, and the whole kingdom was just playing a cruel practical joke on me. There was no such thing as a "beast"._

"_I'm scared," I blurted without thought. I instantly looked up at Kaito to see his reaction, but he wasn't fazed by it. We sat there in silence and listened to the insects within the gardens._

_Then without another word, Kaito wrapped his arms safely around me. He rested his head on top of mine, and I awkwardly said nothing. _

"_I'm going to become a knight one day, Rin-sama," he vowed. I could tell he was serious about this decision. _

"_Wh-What?" I stuttered. "A knight?"_

"_A knight." He nodded. "So I won't ever have to see you worried again, so you can live in happiness and joy." He pulled away from the embrace and held my hands. "I'm going to become a knight one day, for sure! Got that?"_

_I looked into his blue eyes and saw dignity and protectiveness. His expression was determined and different from I'd ever seen before._

_I closed my eyes._

(/.\)

Why did I let people do things for me? Why did I let innocent souls die for my life? I didn't deserve to be treated with such care, just because I was a princess to the kingdom.

Sighing, I walked through the kingdom and said hello to all who waved at me. Children laughed and pointed when they saw me walking by.

"Look, Mama, it's the princess!" one said excitedly.

I looked up at the clear blue sky and wondered where the rain went from the day before. Taking a deep breath, I smelled the wonderful smells of the kingdom. I passed a bakery with delectable looking cakes, and a clothing shop where the scent of new cloth was being sewed.

I wished I could enjoy life in town a little bit more, but I was basically leaving the happiness to a dark hole. No went past the West Gate, only some knights and guards. If anybody knew that the princess was going into the woods, they would try to stop her.

Pushing a door open, I went into a dark café. Keeping my head low, I shuffled to the restrooms and went into a stall. That's where my bag of clothes came into play.

Changing into old pants and a ragged shirt, I put my blouse and skirt back into the bag. I pulled a hat over my head to keep my face from being recognized. Then I left the bag in the restroom cabinet, getting the water bottle out from it first. I wouldn't need the bag to keep me from running quickly through the woods.

I left the café and walked the rest of the way to the West Gate. I had no idea how I was going to get past the gate when I got there, so I tried to figure out a quick plan. Before I knew it, I was looking at the huge metal bars before me. Through the bars, I saw the dark and dangerous trees. Everything seemed darker in there; noises lurked all through the shadows.

"Excuse me, Miss?" someone asked behind me. I turned and kept my face low.

"We're about to open the gate so some workers can fix a part of the wall." I looked up to see it was a guard. "We would need to ask if you left."

"Of course," I said, disguising my voice with a high pitched sound. I pretended to walk away and ran to hide behind a couple of barrels.

I couldn't believe my luck. They were going to open the West Gate right in front of my eyes. I found myself shaking slightly. What if something came into our kingdom from the woods?

A guard took the crank embedded into the wall and turned it with some effort. I watched with fear and curiosity as the metal bars slowly went up. Workers armed with protection gear went through the now opened gate and set to work on the wall.

How was I going to get past all the guards that guarded the opening? I had to think of something, perhaps a diversion. Thinking quickly, I went up to one of the guards.

"What are you doing here?" he asked gruffly. "This is a restricted area."

"There's a huge fight going on a block down!" I told them with horror in my voice. "There are a whole lot of people! You've got to hurry!" Okay, so not my best excuse, but I couldn't think of anything else.

The guard looked at me and blinked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes! I think it's going to get bloody!"

The guard gathered some of the other guards and they set off to the block down. Since most of the guards were trying to figure out what was going on, I decided this was my chance. Pushing my fear to the side, I ran straight through the opening and past the West Gate.

"Hey!" some shouted. I ran to get deep into the trees. I looked back and saw some guards yelling at me to come back, but they didn't go past a certain tree.

"Come back!" The voices got fainter as I ran deeper through the trees. "You'll be killed!"

I kept running and when I was certain that they weren't following, I sat down on a fallen tree and rested. Breathing hard, I tried to remember the last time I had run so hard. That's right, it was when Kaito and I used to play hide and seek in the gardens.

Shivering by the sudden chilliness of the shadows, I examined my surroundings. The trees were twisted and frightening. Strange noises were all around, and the sun was nowhere to be seen in the shadow of the woods. I realized I was all alone in the number one place where the princess should never go, and I never knew it would be this scary.

I had no idea what I had been thinking; I could really be killed by whatever lurked in this place! But it was too late now, I couldn't go back.

Standing up, I slowly continued through the woods in no certain direction. Surely I'd find some evidence of the claimed "fire" that everyone in the castle said was true. Of course, Mother said it was all just a dream, but how could I be so sure? It had seemed real enough.

A grumbling noise sounded behind me and I turned around shaken. My eyes scanned the trees, but nothing was to be seen. Calm down, I told myself. I was just freaking out.

I kept on trudging through the woods slowly, gripping my water bottle like it was my life dependent weapon. I closed my eyes and focused on normal breathing for a second.

"Hello."

My body froze and I dropped my water bottle with shock. Heart thudding, I quickly twisted around.

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><p><strong>AN: I love cliffhangers. :3**


	4. The Boy

**A/N: -rubs hands evilly- Heheheh... Oh and a happy birthday to my onii-san! :) You're getting old.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid or any of the characters.**

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><p>(.\)

"_Don't you think that's a little outrageous?" I asked him, opening my eyes. The silence afterwards held tension._

"_What do you mean?" he scratched his head and nervously laughed. "Don't you want me to become a knight?"_

_My thoughts screamed no. A knight meant going out into the woods, and going out into the woods meant the chance of getting hurt by whatever lurked out there. It was a horrible idea._

"_I-I don't want you to get hurt," I choked. What exactly did Kaito mean to me? My only true friend, a brave soul. A friend to play with when I was bored. Kaito being a knight frightened me; I didn't even want to think about it any longer._

_Kaito laughed softly. "Is that what you're afraid of?" He touched my cheek lightly._

_I didn't answer. The insects were suddenly quiet, as if knowing that it was a dramatic moment._

"_I will protect you, Rin-sama," Kaito said with confidence. "Don't worry."_

(/.\)

I took a good look at my opponent.

The boy was about my age of sixteen, with messy blonde hair and startling blue eyes. His clothes were tattered as if he had lived in the woods his whole life. The strangest of all was his smile. It was almost too friendly, sadistic almost.

"Well, it's not polite to just stare," he said, causing me to jump again. I guess I wasn't quite used to a voice in the silent woods just yet.

In a blur, he was standing right next to me. "But I guess we can make a few exceptions for the princess of course."

I gasped and realized I hadn't been keeping my face down. I tried to pull the hat snugger on top of my head.

"I-" my voice was surprisingly weak. I tried again. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not the princess." I weakly laughed. "The princess would never go out past the West Gate." I peered up at him under my hat.

"Yet here she is," he answered, giving me one of those crazy smiles again. "I can't believe my luck."

"Who are you, and why are you out here?" I asked him a little bolder. "It's dangerous."

"Yes," the blonde head glanced at me sideways. "I hear there's a beast out here." A sudden chill of the wind hit my skin.

"A beast," I uttered nervously. My biggest fear that lived out in the woods, where I presently was right now. How sad.

"I shouldn't be here," I said aloud. "I should go back to the kingdom." I made sure to keep my head low as I bowed. I didn't want him to think I was the princess again. Turning, I tried to go back the way I came from.

A cold hand gripped my arm and pulled me back. "No." My heart turned to ice as his fingernails dug deeper into my skin.

"You're already here." He let go of my arm which caused me to breathe evenly again. "Why not come to my home for a little bit?" He grinned with what he seemed to think was warmth, but it strangely turned out bitter.

"Your-Your home?" I managed. "You have a house in the woods?" That was a crazy thought to think about. Who lived in the beast's territory?

"A quite interesting home at that," he told me. "So how about it?"

I hesitated. I didn't exactly trust this weird person, but how bad could he be? Surely he'd think I'd be rude if I refused. Plus, I despised the thought of his cold hand on me again. Maybe if I came to his house for a little bit, he'd let me go back to the kingdom.

"Okay," I accepted.

He nodded and beckoned me to follow him. His eyes told me that even if I had refused, he would have probably forced me to go. Shuddering, I did not want to think about what he would have done if I had unaccepted the offer.

I don't know why I was so nervous about this boy in the first place. He was a normal human like I was, and he just _happened _to have a house in the woods. Maybe he was a rebel to the kingdom or something. Still, his presence around me gave me the chills.

We walked through the silent woods in a random direction. It all seemed the same to me. Trees here, trees there. I had no idea how this guy knew his way around.

While we walked, we didn't talk or engage in conversation. His eyes did flicker to me once in awhile; probably to make sure I was still following and not going to make a run for it. What if I did run? What would happen then?

As we walked over twigs and fallen trees, I found that my throat was thirsty. With a pang of regret, I realized that I had left my water bottle where I had dropped it earlier.

As if reading my thoughts, he said, "We're almost there."

A few minutes passed, and we entered a clearing. I looked up expecting to see a small house, but instead was surprised by a large stone manor. It was almost like a castle, in fact, now that I took a closer look at it, it did kind of resemble one.

"Shocked?" the blonde asked, tilting his head.

"I'm just a little surprised is all," I lied. How did this person live in a castle that was in the middle of the woods? That's what I wanted to know, along with who exactly he was.

"Then let's go in," he invited. Walking up to the large double doors, he pulled one open. Then he gestured me in.

"Thank you," I said, walking into the dark entrance. It was cold inside, and I had the urge to feel the sun that I had experienced earlier. The carpet was a dark burgundy and there were no windows inside the cave-like habitat.

"You live here?" I asked him. He shut the door and turned to me.

"Yes," he answered.

"By yourself?"

"Correct."

I froze. If that wasn't creepy enough, I don't know what was.

"Relax," he told me. "I'm not a rapist."

Well, that made me feel a _whole _lot better.

I sighed and looked at him. "What now then?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "Are you hungry?"

"I suppose."

We walked down some hallways and entered a large dining room. Candles lit up the darkened room and brown furniture. It was warmer in here than the entrance.

"Take a seat and I'll be back," he said, leaving the room.

I looked around the room and found that the walls were bare. It was certainly hard to see exactly what color they were with no windows and just the candlelight to judge.

I sighed and took a seat in one of the many chairs. It was the one on the end.

What was I doing here? I could be at the kingdom's castle right now, safe and sound eating dinner. Yet here I was, in a creeper's castle in the woods.

He returned with two steaming plates that looked surprisingly okay. He set one in front of me and placed the other one in his seat, all the way at the other end of the long table.

I eyed the plate cautiously and found rice, some strange meat, and green beans on it. The blonde left the room once again and brought back two glasses of water, giving one to me.

"Dig in," he said.

I took small bites at first, but then my surprising hunger overwhelmed me. I scooped up the food as fast as the fork would allow me.

He was so quiet all this time, my heart skipped a beat when he laughed.

I shifted my eyes awkwardly and wiped my mouth on my sleeve. What would my mother say about these manners back at home? Of course, I was taking the role of a kingdom citizen today, not the princess.

"So, what's your name?" I looked up at him under my hat.

He seemed to think about this for awhile, as if pondering whether to tell me or not. "You can call me Len."

Len. I had expected something darker or more sinister.

"What should I call you then?" Len stared across the table at me.

I frantically tried to come up with a suitable name. Searching my brain, I finally came up with one.

"Saito Yuki!" I answered. Random, yes, but all I had.

He laughed. "Rin it is then."

I frowned in defeat. "Why are you so certain that I'm the princess? I could be someone who just looks like her. A clone."

"You smell like her."

What an odd thing to say.

"Well, I must be going," I told him, getting up from my seat. "Thank you for the meal, but I must get back to the kingdom." I fumbled to push in my chair, and then I walked out of the room quickly.

"It's dark out now, Rin-san," he warned, scaring me when he arrived by my side so quickly.

"Yes, but I must be going," I urged, walking down the hallways. The double doors were in sight now.

"You could spend the night here," he said. It sounded like a cold demand.

"I-I can't." Reaching the double doors, I tried to push and pull them open. To my horror, they wouldn't budge. I turned questioningly to Len. His eyes stared into mine harshly.

"You can never leave this castle, Princess Rin. Never."


	5. The Beast

**A/N: I'm super sorry I haven't been updating. School has made me busy, and I spend my weekends diddle-doddling. I will most certainly try to update more often. *-* I hope this chapter will be interesting for you. P.S. Thank you for the reviews. :3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid or any of the characters.**

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><p>(.\)

_I clutched my basket to my side and peered into the open window. An older couple sat at the table and chatted over some rolls. A clock carefully ticked on a wall._

"_It's all for her," growled the old man. He bit one of the rolls angrily._

"_Now, now." The old woman spread butter over her roll. "She is the most at risk."_

"_So what?" he sputtered. "She lives in the safest place and is guarded by the most secure guards in the kingdom!"_

"_Yes, but she is the target," the old woman whispered softly. "She's more in danger than anyone else."_

"_But the thing won't stop until he gets her," the man argued. "That means it'll kill anything in its way from her. She might as well sacrifice herself."_

Cuckoo! Cuckoo!_ The clock opened and out popped a silly bird, causing me to clumsily fall over from my place by the window._

"_What was that sound?" asked the old man._

_I hurried up from the ground, ran to the front door, and knocked. You could hear some more grumbling before the door opened._

"_Cookies from the castle," I said, holding the basket out for the elder. "It's a thank you gift for protecting the kingdom and the honor that you hold because of it." I flinched when I looked at his empty eye socket, the reminder from the beast itself._

_The old man laughed and grabbed the basket from me. "You better be thankful."_

"_Jerald! That's no way to talk to the princess." The old lady hustled over and smiled thankfully at me. "Thank you, Your Highness."_

_I nodded and was on my way back to the castle. The haunting image of his empty socket pierced my mind all the way home._

(/.\)

My eyes opened wide with fear, and I once again tried to open the double doors. Kicking, pushing, pulling, you name it; I tried everything.

"Are you done yet?" he asked. His image looked haunting in the darkness.

"Let me go!" I insisted. "I have to get back home! They'll be worried!"

"Rin," he said sternly. "You can't go back."

"Why not?" I asked. "I'm not your prisoner, you know." I crossed my arms defiantly. What exactly did he intend to do, keeping me in the castle like this? _Forever_, he says. The thought was repulsive.

"I have been waiting for you too long." He reached his hand out to me, but I dodged and ran around him, fearing the cold grip.

"No!" I yelled, turning and running. Not caring which hallway I was going down, I ran this way and that. There _had _to be another exit somewhere in this twisted place. I passed several doors and tried each one of them. Some opened to bedrooms, some opened to bathrooms.

I was done with this mysterious person. He was a plain creep, that's what he was. I had to get out, even if it was dark outside already.

When I finally got to the end of a hallway, there was a brown door. Turning it, I was relieved to be hit by a cool wind. The trees rustled and blew leaves into the castle. I stepped out and closed the door tightly behind me, a rush of adrenaline running through me. I was surprised Len hadn't run after me.

Going in no sense of direction, I shivered in the shadows of the trees. It was pretty dark out, so I knew it had to be close to midnight if not already.

Then the frights hit me; it was nighttime in the woods. Who knew where the beast could be? Was it lurking around _right now?_

I sat down against the ground and wrapped my arms around my legs. So many unheard sounds in the day could be heard in the night. I realized with a sudden jerk that I was utterly and entirely alone.

Putting my head between my knees, I tried really hard not to cry. My only wish was to be back home in the kingdom, away from this scary place.

"It's almost midnight."

My heart pounded as I looked up quickly and saw him in what little light the moon produced between the trees.

"You better come back with me before it comes out."

"Wh-What comes out?" I asked nervously.

"The beast."

The sounds of the night instantly stopped. It was as if the insects were too frightened to make another noise.

"Come back to my home, Rin," he said softly. "There you will be safe for the night."

I stood up shakily. I supposed it was my only choice, at least until morning.

He held out a hand to me in the darkness, and I argued with myself on whether to take it. I was already cold, so it wouldn't affect me that much.

I grabbed his hand and once again was filled with chills from his icy grip.

"We have to hurry," he told me. He clutched my hand and pulled me forward. We ran through the woods together, dodging incoming trees and branches. I had the urge to pull away from his cold hand, but then again, I wanted someone to cling to in the scary place.

Stopping for breath, we reached the familiar clearing. Opening the door for me once again, I stepped into the stone manor. At least it was a little bit warmer inside than out in the woods.

"You shouldn't run away, Rin," he said, bitterness in his voice.

I didn't answer.

"Well then, should I take you to your bedroom?" he asked.

I stayed silent.

He sighed and gestured for me to follow him. I thanked my lucky stars I didn't have to hold his hand again as we walked down a random hallway. I mused and pondered how he remembered which one was which.

Len opened a door to a staircase and we went up it. Oh joy, another set of hallways were on the second floor as well. We trailed down the burgundy carpet and past several old, dusty pictures. Sad faces and designs warned me of how depressing this place could be.

"Here we are," he said, stopping at the end of the hall.

I frowned. "How exactly am I going to find my way back downstairs in the morning?"

"I'll find you."

"…"

Another point for the creepiness of this guy.

"Well, goodnight." I told him, opening the door to my bedroom. There was a made bed with the covers half open, as if expecting me. A large dresser with a mirror was sitting next to it, cluttered with trivial little things such as hairbrushes and powder tins.

I wondered if this was Len's sister's old room or something. Then again, that'd be really creepy if he had a sister. Imagining what _that _would be like, I shuddered.

"Just one more thing," he added. "Do not stray from this room. I do not want to have to use a lock and make you feel like a _prisoner._" He grinned when he used the reference from earlier.

I sighed and entered the room, closing the door in his face. Why couldn't I leave the room? It wasn't like I would be lost forever. He would "find" me if that were the case.

Pulling open the door to ask him if I had to go to the restroom and what I would do, I found he was gone. I looked down the hallway, but he was nowhere in sight. Plus, the guy didn't have any freaking candles in the hall, and it was like a ninjas' headquarters.

I huffed in the darkness and walked in search of him. I do admit this was sort of eerie, being in the dark woods, in a dark castle, in a dark hallway, all at night.

"Len, where are you?" I asked. I might as well have been talking to the pictures in the hallway, because he was absolutely nowhere.

"Len-a-poo…" I laughed. It sounded so ridiculous, I thought I was going crazy. Well, it had been quite a long day, an odd one at that.

A shard of light was seen ahead, and I soon realized it came from a semi-open door. As I approached it, I heard rapid breathing. Very curious, I peeked into the room and saw a window with a half-moon shining bright.

I choked and covered my mouth, holding in a long, frightened scream. Something was in there, something very hairy, big, and threatening. My eyes were glued to the thing that was facing the window, panting for breath.

The beast.


End file.
